Excavator



Aug. 6, 1929. ZICKGRAF 1,723,115-

EXCAVATOR Filed May 7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 6, 1929.

.firaz A. F. ZICKGRAF 1,723,115

EXCAVATOR Filed May '7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 llliili Patented Aug. -6, 1929.

UNITED STATES ARTHUR r. ZICKGRAF,

or MASON, MICHIGAN.

EXCAVATOR.

Application filed May 7, 1928. Serial No. 275,918.

This invention relates to an excavator designed primarily for use in removing material from beneath the surface of a body of water and depositing it on the shore or at some deeper point in the water.

It is an object of the invention to provide excavating mechanism mounted on a floating structure which can be shifted by mechanism on said structure to properly position the excavating bucket relative to the material to be removed.

A further object is to provide "a floating excavator having lines extended therefrom for holding the apparatus at any point desired, it being possible readily to pay out and take up these lines to bring the structure to a predetermined position.

A further object is to provide an excavator utilizing a boom so constructed as to allow the bucket of the apparatus to work between the sides thereof, thereby affording ample clearance for-the bucket and allowing the boom. to be operated in a substantially horizontal position so that practically the entire length of the boom can be utilized in feeding the bucket into the material being excavated.

A further object is to provide a structure of this kind which can be assembled readily.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete apparatus, the decks being broken away.

Figure 2 is a side elevation.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the boom a portion of which is broken away, the bucket being shown in position thereunder.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates pontoons or -boats, preferably three'of them being employed although it is to be understood that a greater number of them may be used if desired. These floats are arranged to support a frame 2 formed preferably of channel beams and which frame can be secured on the pontoons in any suitable manner. A deck, a portion of which has been shown at 3, is secured on the frame 2 and located on a portion of the deck, preferably above the pontoon 1, is a hoist mechanism indicated generally at 4. This hoist mechanism is adapted to be operated by an electric motor, a gas motor or any other kind of engine desired, one motor being shown generally at 5.

Erected on the frame 2 at a point preferably Inidway between the floats 1 at the sides of the apparatus, is a mast 6 held in upstanding position by guys 7 whichdiverge downwardly from the top of the mast to the sides of the frame 2, to the rear portion of said frame, and to the outer end of a boom 8. As shown in the drawing this boom is made up of side members 9 hingedly connected at 10 to the frame 2, these side members converging away from the pontoons and being connected at their outer ends by a crosshead 11. Arms 12 are extended laterally from the ends of the crossheadand carry sheaves 13. Another sheave 14 is mounted on the middle portion of the crosshead 11. A

The hoisting mechanism which hasbeen indicated generally at 4, is provided, in the present instance, with three drums 15, 16, and 17 respectively. Mounted on the drum 15 so as to be taken up and payed out thereby, is a drag line 18 extending over a guide sheave '19 in the upper portion of the mast 6, thence downwardly into engagement with the sheave 14, and thence downwardly and rearwardly where it is attached to the forward end of a bucket or scraper 20. To the rear portion of this bucket or scraper is attached a pull back line 21 which extends upwardly between the side members of the boom 8, over a guide sheave 22 in the mast 6, and thence rearwardly to the drum 16. To the drum 17 are secured feed lines 23 which extend forwardly to the sheaves 13 and then diverge topoints where they can be fastened by means of anchoring posts 24 or the like extending above the surface of the water or on the shore nearby.

One or more stay lines 25 can be extended backwardly from the rear float or pontoon 1, these lines being anchored-to the bottom of the body of water and being connected by blocks and tackles indicated at 26, to the adacent float 1 or the structure thereon. By

paying out or taking up through these blocks and tackles the floating structure can be held properly anchored at one end or can be released to allow the same to move forward ly a desired distance. i

are connected. This will allow the bucket or scraper 20 to gravitate to the point where the excavation is to begin. While the pull back line 21 continues to pay out, the drag line 18 is taken up and will pull forwardly on the bucket or scraper, causing it'to bite into the material in the path thereof which Will quickly fill said bucket or scraper. By properly manipulating the lines, the said bucket or scraper can then be advanced to a point where the material can be dumped. After a sufficient amount of material has thus been removed from below the surface of the water, the lines 25 can be payed out and the feed lines 23 canbe taken up, thereby advancing the floating structure so that the bucket can begin to operate at a new point.

As before stated, importance is attached to the fact that the boom is substantially horizontal, that its sides are spaced apart and provide a clearance in which the bucket can work, and that it is possible to operate the bucket throughout ,substantially the entire length of the boom, thereby enabling a greater amount of material to be excavated following each placement of the apparatus,

than has heretofore been possible.

Although the apparatus has been illustrated as including a mast 6 and side braces or guys 7 it is to be understoodthat, if preferred, an A-frame can be substituted in which event the sheaves 19 and 22 will be suspended from the apex of the frame by a cable or any other suitable means. This modification is so obvious that it is not deemed necessary to show or describe the same in detail.

The bucket 20 can be reversed so that the material being excavated can thus be drawn out into the water toward the apparatus.

In addition to anchoring the machine to the bottom of the body of Water, the lines 25 could, if desired, be extended to an adjacent shore and fastened to trees or anchored to the land- Instead of using the blocks and tackles 26, an extra drum could be arranged on the hoist for taking care of the cables 25. This is an obvious modification.

The term mast as used in the claims is intended to cover anyupstanding structure,

Whether it be an A-frame, a single mast, etc.

What is claimed is: 1. An excavator including separate floats, a frame mounted thereon and connecting the same, hoisting mechanism mounted on one of the floats, a mast supportedbetween and upon the mast for guiding the drag line,

a pull back line connected to'the rear end of the bucket and to the hoisting mechanism,

means on the mast for guiding the same,

feed lines connected to the hoisting mechanism and movably. connected to the outer end of the boom, said lines diverging away from the boom and adapted to be'anchored, and anchoring means adjustably connected to that end of the excavator remote from the boom. 7

2. Excavating apparatus including separate floats, a structure mounted thereon and connecting the same, hoisting mechanism on one of the floats, a mast supported between the other floats, a boom extending from the last named float, means extending from the mast for holding the boom in a substantially horizontal position, said ,boom. having a clearance extending between the sides thereof from one end to the other, means for adjustably anchoring the apparatus at one end, feed lines connected to the hoisting mechanism and extending longitudinallfy; of om the boom, said lines diverging away the boom for engagement with anchoring means, an excavating bucket mounted for movement beneath and through the boom, and hoist operated lines for controlling the movement of the bucket.

3.. Excavating apparatus including separate floats, hoisting mechanism su ported thereby, means for connecting the oats, a

mast, a boom supported in a substantially horizontal position from the mast, feed lines extending from the hoisting mechanism longitudinally of the boom and diverging from said boom for engagement with anchoring means, holding lines adjustably connected to one end of the apparatus and cooperating with the feed lines for maintaining the apparatus normally in a substantially fixed position, an excavating bucket movable longitudinally of and through the boom, and means controlled by the hoisting mechanism for actuating the bucket to advance it into and to elevate and convey a load.

4. Excavating apparatus including a floating structure, a boom extending substantially horizontally from one end thereof, hoisting mechanism carried by the floating structure, feed lines connected to the hoisting mechanism and adapted tobe anchored beyond the boom, said hoisting mechanism and feed lines cooperating to shift the floating line connected to the floating structure and cooperating with the feed lines for holding said structure against shifting, a mast, an excavating bucket, and means connected to the bucket and to the hoisting mechanism ucket.

and supported by the mast for actuating the ing excavator to different positions, a holdb In testimony that I claim the foregoing 10 as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature.

ARTHUR F. ZIOKGRAF. 

